U.S. Women Soccer Players Value Good Food

Did you watch the U.S. Women’s Soccer team in their World Cup game against Brazil? Oh my gosh. What a drama. Referee calls that not only incensed but kept the U.S. at a disadvantage, supossedly injured Brazilians taking time off the clock with an injury then jumping up off the stretcher fit as a fiddle and Megan Rapinoe’s whistling cross onto Abby Wambach’s head for the tying goal in the 212th minute - wow. You can’t write drama like that. Like millions of others I felt spent yet elated after the game. Watching determined young women focusing their strength on working together to fulfill their intentions brings tears to my eyes.

I’m a long time soccer fan. Combining the love of the sport with my bent for nutrition propelled me into writing the currently out-of-print Feeding the Young Athlete. MSN.com’s fitbie is featuring an article giving “tips to fitness” from members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team including their tips on which foods are fit for fueling the body. Some of their responses are pretty Cookus Interruptus-ish. Here’s a sample:

Nicole Barnhart

Organic and clean foods keep Barnhart’s mind and body fresh. “I don’t eat processed foods. I only eat fresh foods, most of which I make for myself,” she says. To get her foods as fresh as possible, she visits local farmer’s markets and takes her finds home for fun evenings re-imagining traditional recipes. “It’s really nice knowing what’s going into your body,” she says.

Ali Krieger

“My mantra is ‘healthy body, healthy mind,’” Krieger says. ”I surround myself with good people who make me feel great and give me positive energy. I fuel up every morning, no matter if it’s with a shake or a breakfast bar on the go,” Krieger says. “I eat well, but I have my cheats. I eat cookies, chips, and have a Coke, but only on days that start with S.”

Lori Lindsey

“I’ve always loved food, so finishing everything on the plate was never an issue (and still isn’t) but now I try to supply my body with better-quality foods,” Lindsey says. “More greens has been something I’ve been trying to implement in my diet recently.”

Heather Mitts

“When I’m away from the team, I typically only eat locally grown or organic foods,” Mitts says. “I’ve read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and watched Food, Inc., so my awareness of food has been heightened. I’m trying to avoid hormones, pesticides, and genetically modified foods and hope to live a longer and healthier life.”

To keep her engine humming, Rampone is all about integrating healthy carbs and proteins into her diet. At dinnertime, she prefers a plate of pastas (always whole grain!) and lean proteins, like chicken. At game time, it’s back to basics with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.